Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-03-26

revolve But when the first sho: struck her and
other shots began 20 pour In, and she stin worked
like charm, had no more apprehension In
the nghI I remember, ! tried 70 keep
when nrst saw the big ram coming
on towards US, felt confident that the Monitor
straight upon the monster. Shots were exchanged
pretty last. sometimes We were as close together
as from here across the street. firing all the time
tried 10 cut on her propeller / could not have
missed II more than six inches Then we fired
hs ne h a. sns snort range Then we crossed
front and saw she was trying TO run us down. /
ordered the helm hard TO, and The Monitor wheeled
amidship.. The ram struck her side at an angle
near the stern ana giided on without doing any
damage.
how THE ADMIRAL WAS WOUNDED.
'lt was In the last Of the night when was
struck. The shot struck squarely against the iron
logs that guarded the peep hole. I was Knocked
down and severely injured. The blow was right
In my eyes, 80 could not see, but knew from the
mood Of Light such as you are conscious OF even
when your eyes are shut that the top OF the pilot
mouse had oeen torn on, and could not tell what
other damage had been done. As lay there
gave one order, to bear on" Lieut. Greene was
In the turret, and could not be reached al once.
When they took me below he went down with me.
He then saw that the damages were repaired, and
Or0ered the Monitor 10 be brought into the engage
ment again.
kEfURNIN0 10 THE ENGAGEMENT.
ut could not have been more than twenty min
utes after the accident before she was on the
scene OF action again. some Southern writers
have said that she retired from the night and 9TH
ers have said that the Merrimac waited an hour
Tor US. These statements are not true. Lieut..
Greene had the Monitor back in less than twenty
minutes, as have said.
'Let me say here" the admiral added. 'that
no for Three -four before
ing taken food or sleep. We all had been work
ing for two nights and a-haf without sleep on the
rival. Besides this, as have told you, had been
run Gown and without sleep before started on
the enterprise"
ADMIRAL woRDRRs OFFICIAL kKPoRr.
Admiral, Worden in q report on the engagement,
made some years afterwards, and which has
never been published says:
." About O'Clock o. m. we anchored
near the Frigate Roanoke, Captain Marston, the
senior officer present. to whom 1 reported, and
who suggested that should go to the assistance
OF the Frfgate Minnesota, then aground on New
Port News. Finding difhculty In getting o pilot,
accepted the services OF Acting Master Samuel
Howard, who earnestly volunteered for that
service, and under whose pilotage we reached the
Minnesota about IL 80 p. m, when reported to
Capt. Van Brunt, her commanding onlcer, and
anchored ne ar him at about O'Clock a. M OF
Sunday, March 9th. He hoped to get his ship
a1Oat at high water, about O'Clock, but failed to
consorts was discovered at anchor under Sewell's
Point. I went at once to see Capt n Brunt,
whose vessel was still aground, good deal dam
aged nom the attack OF the day before, and In a
helpless condition. After few minutes conversa-
ton with him in relation to the situation OF
a an TT, LEFT telling him that would develop
tect his vessel from the attack Of the MerT1mac,
latin In her capabilities soon after reaching my
vessel, and at about ~ O'Clock a m. the Mer-
nmac was observed to be under way, accom-
panied by her c0nsorts steaming slowly. / got
under way as soon IS possible, and stood directly
for her, with crew At quarters, In order to meet
consorts turned and stood back in the direction
from which they had come, and she turned her
stationary, and
eat this time, about O'Clock q. m, was ap-
preaching her on her starboard bow, ON q course
nearly at right angles with her line OF keel reserv
ing my IRE until near enough, that every shot
might take effect I continued TO 30 approach
until within very short range, when altered my
course paralleled with hers, but bows In opposite
directions, stopped the engine and commenced
firing. In this way passed slowly by her, within
few yards. delivering IRE as rapidly as possible,
and receiving from her rapid FIRE In return, both
from her great guns and musketry, the latter
aimed at the pilot house, hoping, undoubtedly, to
penetrate ft through the lookout holes and to
disable the commanding officer and helmsman. At
this period felt some anxiety about the turret
machinery, It having been predicted by many per-
sons that heavy shot with great initial velocity,
striking the turret, would so derange as TO stop
its working; but finding that ft had been twice
struck and still revOlved as freely ever turned
back with renewed confidence and hope, and con-
tinued the engagement at close quarters, every
shot from our guns taking effect upon the huge
SIDES OF our adversary, stripping of the iron
and Close to her Stern. hoping to disable her
screw, which could not have missed by more
than two feet. Once, after having passed up on
her her and the Minnesota again, she steamed up
quickly, end, finding that she would strike my
vessel viii her prov or ram put e ne% nsra
the enemy's stern, thus avoiding direct blow,
and receiving 1t at sharp angle on the starboard
ing any injury. me contest 50 continued, except
for an interval OF about fifteen minutes. when
hauled OF to remedy some denctency in the sup
ply OF shot In the turret, until near noon, when.
her
STRUCK THE Puor-H0UsE,
near the lookout hole, through which I was look
ing, and exploded, fracturing one OF the logs OF
iron OF which it was composed, filling my face and
eyes with powder, utterly binding and in q de-
gree stunning me- The top OF the pilot-house, too,
was partially lifted or by the force OF the concus-
sion, which let In flood Of light so strong as to be
apparent to me, blind as was, and caused me to
believe that the pOt-house was seriously disabled.
I therefore gave orders to put the helm TO star
board and sheer Oh, and sent for Lieut. Greene
and directed him to take command. Twas then
taken to my quarters, and had been there but a
short time when il was reported to me that the
Merrimac was retiring In the direction OF Norfolk.
In the meantime Lieut. Greene, after taking his
place in the PLAYHOUSE and finding the injuries
there less serious than had supposed had turned
the vessels head again In the direction or the enemy,
to continue the engagement but before he could
get at close quarters with her she retired. He,
Therefore very properly returned TO the Minnesota
and lay BY her until she noated
WHY HE DID NOT GIVE CHASE.
"The Nerrimac having been thus checked In her
career OF destruction, and driven back crippled
and discounted, the question arises, should she
have been followed In her retreat to Norfolk?
That such course would commend itself very
tempttngly to the gallantry OF an of11cer and be
difncult to resist, is undeniable; yet I am con-
WINGED that under the condition OF Affairs then
existing at Hampton Road1 and the great inter-
ests at stake there all OF which were entirely de-
pendent upon the Monitor, good judgment and
sound discretion forbade Il. It must be remem-
bered that the pilothouse OF the Monitor was situ-
ated well forward In ner bows, and that it was
quite considerably damaged In following In the
wake of the enemy tt would have been necessary,
I'm order to IRE clear Of the piot-house, to have
made broad yaws' TO starb0ard or port, involving
in the excitement OF such chase the very serious
danger OF grounding In the narrow portions OF
teries whence 1t would have been very difficult
tn eYtyieata her-DOSsibly involving he loss